


A Harrowing Story

by FrankieTortTails



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Harrowing, Implied/Referenced Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 14:02:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17326367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankieTortTails/pseuds/FrankieTortTails
Summary: The Herald, Evelyn Trevelyan, explains the Harrowing to interested patrons at the tavern.  Commander Rutherford is called to intervene.Excerpt from the complete story,Well of Sorrows





	A Harrowing Story

  
A Harrowing Story  


Josephine stopped by the training field where Cassandra and Evelyn practiced, “Herald, if you have a moment.” Josephine sat at a nearby bench.

“Please, call me Evelyn,” she requested, “What can I do for you, Ambassador?”

“I have a letter from your parents.” She said.

The content wasn't entirely unexpected, seeing it written out was a kick in the gut. Her parents hated and disowned her for being a mage, and they wanted nothing to do with her.

Entirely new? Her parents blamed her for their sons' death. Her eldest brother, Earnest, heir to the Trevelyan fortune attended as liaison to the Ostwick Chantry, accompanied by her brother, Edward. This was devastating.

Both her brothers were dead. She wiped out the entire Trevelyan line leaving them a hated daughter and a mage who could inherit nothing. Even if she gave birth, the Chantry claimed all babies born to a Circle mage.

All hope of a reconciliation with her parents died with her brothers. She was devastated. She had nowhere to go but the Circle.

Josephine regretted the Trevelyan family's response. Her heart ached at Evelyn’s pain, “Herald…I mean Evelyn, if there is anything I can do, please ask.”

Evelyn struggled to remain polite, “Thank you for calling me Evelyn. Calling me the Herald identifies me quickly to assassins my father sends to kill me.”

Josephine’s eyes widened at the thought of assassins, “You don’t think he... Oh, you jest.”

The response was eerily casual, “I’ve killed his heir and heir in waiting. My father’s lineage ends with me. He’d be mad enough to hire Antivan Crows.”

Josephine was aghast, “Dear Maker, do you want to talk about this?”

Pain threatened to spill from a pit deep in her gut, “I don’t know what more I can say that I haven’t already scream, cried, joked and discussed with everyone and their Mabari. All I am is a cursed mage and an apostate.”

Josephine offered reassurance, “In the short time you’ve been with us you've done remarkable things. We are lucky to have you.”

“I think I missed that last bit. I'm listening for those assassins."

She stopped herself. She never intended to be mean, "Sorry, Josephine, I was rude. Thank you. You are very kind. I appreciate your efforts. Maybe hold onto that letter and I’ll look at it later, two years or so from now, or use it for kindling. Again, thank you. I think I'll head to the tavern for an ale.”

She excused herself and headed to the tavern.

It was past the dinner hour. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast. It didn’t matter, an ale called her name. The busy tavern looked inviting.

She picked up two ales from Flissa, the owner, and as they chatted she finished the first ale. She looked around for a place to sit and found an empty spot at a table full of the Commander's recruits. The table greeted her warmly. The lad next to her pointed at her hand, “Are you the Herald?”

“Don’t know if I am the famed Herald, but I am Evelyn with a green glowing hand.” The table laughed with approval. Evelyn thought if they can laugh at that they were already very drunk. This was going to be a great night.

“You’re a mage, like they say?” asked a young woman.

She nodded as she finished her second ale. Across the table a young man slid over a complimentary third ale.

The conversation continued prompted by another patron, “So you had a Harrowing? And survived? What was that like?”

The whole table watched. “The Harrowing. I love this topic.” Taking about the Harrowing can get a mage in trouble so is it the ale or her anger talking? She couldn’t help herself.

“The Chantry's fairy tale version is four templars escort an apprentice mage to the very top of the Circle Tower to a large empty chamber. The mage ingests a huge chalice filled with lyrium. As they pass out the templars gently lower the unconscious mage to the floor. The templars wait vigilantly while the brave mage travels through the Fade until a monstrous demon tries to possess them. If the mage can fight off the demon they will return to the Harrowing chamber surrounded by the four templars who clap with joy for the heroic mage. A successful Harrowing.”

“Wow, huh? That’s the Chantry’s version. Here's what really happens.”

“Four templars drag an apprentice mage to the Harrowing Chamber. The frighten mage knows if they fail the Harrowing they die at the top of the Circle Tower. At the point of a sword, the mage is forced to ingest a huge chalice of lyrium. If a mage refuses the templars make the mage tranquil on the spot.

“You see, a mage has one of three choices: Harrowing, Tranquility or Death -- there are no other options. So the mage decides I don’t want to be tranquil and they drink the poison lyrium.

“The mage goes into shock and crumples to the floor, but not before they see all four templars pull out their swords and point the sharp end at the mage's heart because if the mage becomes possessed or takes too long in the fade the templars instantly pierce the mage’s heart. As four templars point swords at their heart, the mage is dumped into the Fade.

“The mage is terrified which is both good and bad. Bad because a terrified mage attracts demons like bees to flowers, and good because the mage doesn’t have to look for a demon. When a monstrous demon shows, the mage must battle the demon, physically or through trickery, to keep the demon from possessing them.

“A mage who can resist the demon and not get possessed wakes up on the floor of the Harrowing Chamber. The four templars still pointing swords at the mage’s heart grumble because they don’t get to kill a mage that day.”

The table was stunned but they were fascinated by the story. Someone asked, “Can the Templar just kill the mage?”

She explained, “The Chantry says a mage who returns from the fade the same as when they drank the lyrium, aren’t possessed. And, according to the Chantry a mage who passes their Harrowing can never be made tranquil, ever. Those are the rules. This disappoints some templars who have to hold the pointy end of the sword at a mage’s heart the whole time the mage is in the Fade. Templars debate if they should go ahead and kill the mage anyway, just in case. After all, templars deal with mages all the time, they know better than the Chantry.”

The whole table was enraptured. Other nearby tables were listening. A soldier asked, “Maker’s breath. Is that what happen to you? You saw and killed a demon?”

She went on, “No, during my Harrowing when I was in the Fade, my brother walked up to me acting all nice and friendly. What mage is stupid enough to believe their brother would show up in the Fade for a conversation? My demon was a particular level of stupid to think I'd fall for that because my big brother and I never got along. 

“So I punched him in the face. My demon was all like, ‘how could you hit your brother,’ so I hit him again and said 'just like that.' Stupid demon. Busted him in the nose twice and he forgets to bleed like a human. I said go bother some other mage before I hit you again. My demon was disappointed not to possess a mage that day but he did leave.

“I woke up to four swords pointing at my chest. I didn’t wait for the debate if I was possessed or not, I said ’Do I at least get dinner before you start poking me with that?’ One of the templars jerked me up from the floor and slapped me. But hey, I passed, sore cheek and all and didn’t’ get stabbed. Good Harrowing.”

 

It was deep in the night, Cullen should be sleeping, but the tavern sent him an urgent message. Imagining things from a fight to drunken behavior, Cullen dressed and walked to the Tavern.

The tavern owner, Flissa, waved Cullen over as he enter. “I am so glad you are here, the Herald was here earlier…um, telling strange stories.”

“What kind of strange stories?” Cassandra was the Herald’s official “handler” so he's puzzled why he was called instead.

“Well, she told everyone about her Harrowing. A templar fellow overheard and asked me to send for you. The Herald left about ten minutes ago.”

He was steamed. The Harrowing was a sacred rite, the actual events kept secret. Mages and templars alike are instructed never to speak of it with anyone. It is not a topic for a tavern discussion. It made sense the Templar reported her.

Cullen left the tavern and walked to her cabin. He knocked gently. “Herald, are you okay?”

“Sorry, no Herald here,” a voice replied, “Try the next cabin.”

He frowned. “It’s Commander Rutherford. May I come in….if you are decent.”

“Still no Herald.”

Cullen was annoyed but she disliked being called Herald so he obliged. “Evelyn.”

“This is the right cabin. There is a crowd of people in here so you better be decent,” she answered.

“What? There are…” He isn't sure what she's up to.

Evelyn answered back annoyed, “Just open the door.”

Cullen found her alone wrapped up in a blanket sitting on her bed. She didn't look up.

Cullen asked her, “Do you know how late it is?”

She responded, “Do you know how late it is?”

He replied, “I know how late it is.”

She mimicked him, “I know how late it is.”

He asked, barely able to stay reasonable, “Are you drunk?”

With equal tone she responded, “Are you drunk?”

Frustrated but trying to be the adult, he asked “Why are you being so difficult?”

“Because,” she snapped, “it’s the dead of night and I am wondering why you are in my cabin asking the obvious.”

The situation was hopeless and he forgot why he's there. Right, to ask why she talked about the Harrowing, “I was…never mind. If you are alright I'll leave. We'll speak in the morning. Good night, Herald.”

Not missing a beat, she bit back, “Not the Herald. You’ll find your blessed Herald in the Chantry along with the Maker, his beloved Bride Andraste, and all the faithful followers. I’m. Just. Evelyn.”

He knows better than argue, “I am not trying….”

She threw an angry look, “You’re a good Chantry boy devoted to the Maker, in love with his mythical Templar Order. Without this damn mark and my new Herald of Andraste title no one would have anything to do with me, including you because all I am is a filthy apostate.

“As soon as this mark closes the breach everyone will be done with me. My family disowned me and there isn’t a Circle to send me to. I’ll be tossed out on the road.

“I’m sure another bunch of rogue templars will find me and finish tearing me up. Have you ever seen my back? It's a statement of who I am to this world.” Evelyn stood up with her back to him and dropped the blanket off her shoulders. She stood there, her whole back exposed, and he couldn't look away from the scars covering her entire back.

She spoke over her shoulder, “I still remember each time the whip split my skin. It’s a daily reminder of how the Chantry, templars and the people of Thedas, whom I am supposed to save, feel about me because I’m a mage.”

Guilt clenched Cullen's gut recalling all the mages fallen under Knight Command Meredith while he looked the other way. Yes, he looked the other way because he believed mages less than human. He was no better than a gang of rogue Templars with a whip. He walked to Evelyn, pulled the blanket over her shoulders and wrapped it around her torso. “It’s late, Evelyn. Get some sleep.”

Cullen turned and left, gently closing the door.

She faced the closed door, listening to steps moving further and further away. Tears pour down her face. “Maker, I'm such a jerk.”

 

Cullen called an informal meeting in Josephine’s office with Cassandra and Leliana. They needed to hear what happen. 

He began, “There was a problem with the Herald… Evelyn.”

Cassandra raised an eyebrow, “Oh, what’s going on?”

It was still disturbing, “The Tavern called last night, very late. She told a table full of people about her Harrowing. I went to check on her and she was….”

“Belligerent?” Cassandra guessed.

Be easy to agree. After he left Evelyn he spent the rest of the night fighting thoughts about what he saw and what he did as a Templar. Those years in the Circle changed him. He struggled to see mages as people. The tavern story triggered old anger toward mages, but his heart shredded to pieces at the sight of her scarred back.

“She was…upset, hurting. She, um…showed me her back, rather dramatically. Have you seen her back?”

Cassandra affirmed, “Leliana and I did after finding her at the Temple of Ashes. Newly healed. She claims rogue templars were responsible. Why did she show you? And why tell people about her Harrowing?”

Josephine remembered the letter, “I may know what set her off. We received a letter from her family yesterday. Her estranged parents blamed her for both brothers dying at the Conclave. She joked about it but she was upset. Tried to hide it by being…”

Liliana guessed correctly, “Sarcastic?”

Josephine said, "I should have told you, Cassandra. What should we do?”

“Mages don’t usually hide their suffering. They are vocal about grievances and she is no different. Her story is tragic compared to some but less than others. Life isn’t easy in the Circle for mages.”

Cullen was instantly defensive, “You think templars are better off? I’ve had my share of horror in the Circles.”

Cassandra quickly addressed him, “No one discounts what you went through or your choices. You’ve come a long way in coming to terms with your experiences. She is just now facing her trauma. As she's important to the Inquisition we must help her. Help her to see when she is being…difficult.”

Cullen felt ashamed, “Your right. I’m…still sensitive…about mages.”

Cassandra wondered, “Cullen, if you build her trust it may help her deal better with Circle and templar issues. Give you an opportunity to help a mage. She needs more fight training.”

Cullen’s anger simmered. Cassandra talked about his private issues in the middle of a meeting. She knows his secrets, they speak privately about his past, there's an agreement. On the other hand, she said nothing specific, she didn’t reveal his lyrium situation. To other people he appears in control, but these issues slithered around his mind like a snake.

"You're right. I'll take over arms training". He can master his loathing toward mages. He will gain control of his emotions. He will be fine. 

Cassandra nodded, “Good luck.”


End file.
